THE parents of murdered children's carer Craig Eaton wept as they spoke of their heartbreak.

THE parents of murdered children's carer Craig Eaton wept today (Thursday 26 Feb) as they spoke of their heartbreak.

They said they would never recover from losing a "wonderful young man" who was dedicated to helping sick youngsters.

Mr Eaton, 22, died when he was shot in the heart as he walked along Molyneux Road in Kensington.

There were several groups of people in the area at the time and Mr Eaton, who worked at Alder Hey children's hospital, was most probably the innocent victim of gangland hit.

Detectives are focusing on who may have been the gunman's real target.

Mr Eaton was walking towards his home in Anfield, which he shares with his mother and brother Lee, after spending the evening at the home of an ex-work colleague.

The woman had been helping him cope with the death of a child who he had looked after at Alder Hey.

Mr Eaton's mother Denise choked back tears as she said: "I will miss him so much and there is no reason why anyone would want to hurt my son.

"He was just a brilliant young man who wanted to be a nurse and look after sick children.

"He is innocent and I wish the person who did this could see what he has done to all his family and friends."

Mr Eaton's father Anthony told how his son was a fantastic person who loved looking after children and "did not have an enemy in the world".

Mr Eaton, 50, a warehouse worker from Anfield, said: "Craig was a really hardworking lad who loved children. Craig lived for three things - his family, his close friends and his job. It is a tragedy he is gone.

"Everybody liked him and he was a fantastic son - we will miss him so much."

Detectives today said they want to speak to a man Mr Eaton was talking to before his death.

Merseyside police Detective Superintendent Russ Walsh said: "We have spoken to people in the area at the time but we have not traced the man the victim was actually seen chatting to."

Mr Eaton collapsed in a pool of blood on the pavement after being shot at around 11pm on Tuesday.

The woman whose house he had been at broke down in tears when police told her he had been switched dered just minutes after leaving.

Det Supt Walsh added: "We can find no reason why anyone would want to attack Mr Eaton. That brings in the question of mistaken identity and there were other people in the area at the time."

A spokeswoman for Alder Hey said: "Craig was a highly thought of and popular member of staff.